Method for implementing terminal roaming and managing in the soft switch-based next generation network

ABSTRACT

It is a method for implementing terminal roam and management in the soft switch-based Next Generation Network, comprises: a user terminal moving on the IP network, when the IP address changing, the user terminal registering at a soft switch controlling device again, the user terminal attaining the allocated IP address of the said soft switch controlling device and registering at the exchange controlling device, after the soft switch controlling device receiving the register request of the user terminal, it attaining the user data of the said terminal from a database. The soft switch controlling device judges whether the user terminal roaming, if it roaming, the soft switch controlling device further judges whether allowing the user terminal to access, if the user terminal roaming and being allowed to access, then the soft switch controlling device transmits the transmission success response to the user terminal, the user terminal accesses to the soft switch controlling device. This method can provide the function of terminal roaming in the NGN, implementing the roaming management for the terminal, including the roaming right management function, roaming identification function and roaming charge function.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS OR PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a national phase of International Application No.PCT/CN2004/001376 entitled “A Method For Implementing Terminal RoamingAnd Managing In The Soft Switch-Based Next Generation Network”, whichwas filed on Nov. 30, 2004.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for implementing terminal roamand management in the soft switch-based NGN (Next Generation Network).

BACKGROUND ART

The emergence of the NGN switch system separates the service from thecontrol, and separates the transport layer and the control layer, andaccessible terminals are becoming more and more diversified, a greatmany of soft terminals, portable intelligent NGN terminals start to beused in the soft switch network. The requirement for mobility of theterminals in the soft switch network generates naturally with thedevelopment of the miniaturization and portability of the terminals, asthe core and key technology of the NGN, the soft switch system isconstructed on the open packet network (mainly used in IP network), andthe openness and planarity of the packet network provide convenience forthe realization of the mobility of the terminals.

The terminal here, being a broad terminal concept, refers to all theterminals and access devices supported by the soft switch architecture,comprising: SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) terminal (terminalsupporting the SIP protocol), H323 (protocol suite numbered as H.323 anddefined by ITUT) terminal (terminal supporting H.323 protocol), MGCP(Media Gateway Control Protocol) terminal (terminal supporting MGCPprotocol), H248 (protocol suite numbered as H248 and defined by ITUT)terminal (terminal supporting H248 protocol), NCS (Network-based CallSignalling) terminal (terminal supporting NCS protocol), and accessdevices such as IAD (Integrated Access Device).

Traditional roam technology is based on circuit and mobile network. Withthe development of the NGN, it is required that the terminal in the NGNnetwork can also roam as the mobile terminal does. However, the mannerfor realizing the roam is required to be based on technology of IPnetwork, which is different from the roam technology of the currentmobile network. Currently, no solution is available for solving theproblem.

SUMMARY

One technical problem the present invention aims to solve is to providea method for implementing terminal roam and roam management according tothe structure model of the NGN under the soft switch architecture.

In order to realize the above object, the present invention provides amethod for implementing terminal roam and roam control under the softswitch architecture, and the method is used for implementing the roamand roam control of the NGN terminal, wherein the method comprise thefollowing steps:

step 1, a user terminal moving in the IP network, and when its IPaddress changing, the user terminal registering at a soft switchcontrolling device again;

step 2, the user terminal attaining the IP address of the soft switchcontrolling device, and then sending a register request to the softswitch controlling device;

step 3, after receiving the register request of the user terminal, thesoft switch controlling device attaining user data of the terminal froma database;

step 4, the soft switch controlling device judging whether the userterminal is roaming, and if it is roaming, the soft switch controllingdevice further judging whether to allow the user terminal to access; and

step 5, if the user terminal is roaming and being allowed to access, thesoft switch controlling device sending a register success response tothe user terminal, and the user terminal accessing to the soft switchcontrolling device successfully.

The method as mentioned above, wherein in step 2, the step of attainingthe allocated IP address of the soft switch controlling device isrealized in a terminal accessing allocator.

The method as mentioned above, wherein the terminal accessing allocatorallocates to the user terminal an IP address of the soft switchcontrolling device that the user terminal can access at its proximity;or the terminal accessing allocator allocates to the user terminal analternate IP address of the soft switch controlling device.

The method as mentioned above, wherein the user terminal sends aregister request to a default soft switch controlling device accordingto the attained IP address of the soft switch controlling device ordirectly.

The method as mentioned above, wherein the user data include userattribute, home registration information and roam right.

The method as mentioned above, wherein the soft switch controllingdevice judges whether the user terminal roams according to the IPaddress and the home registration information of the user terminal.

The method as mentioned above, wherein the soft switch controllingdevice judges whether to allow the user terminal to access according tothe roam right of the user terminal.

The method as mentioned above, wherein after the user terminal roams andregisters successfully, roam identifications are set on the charge listfor all calls.

The method as mentioned above, wherein the database can be a singledatabase server, or a database server group.

The method as mentioned above, wherein the database can be anindependent database server or can be provided in the soft switchcontrolling device.

The method as mentioned above, wherein when the user terminal and thesoft switch controlling device are not in a same network, a traversingdevice for different form networks is further provided to implement themutual communication of the control signalling between the soft switchcontrolling device and the user terminal.

The method as mentioned above, wherein the NGN terminal comprises: aterminal supporting the SIP, a terminal supporting H.323 protocol, aterminal supporting MGCP protocol, a terminal supporting H248 protocol,a terminal supporting NCS protocol, or/and integrated access devices(IAD).

According to the structure model of the NGN, the present inventionimplements the roam function of the NGN terminal in the soft switchsystem, thereby providing the terminal roam function in the NGN network;and implements the roam management for the terminal, including such as aroam right management function, a roam identification function and aroam charge function for the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the implementation of terminalroam in NGN network;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the method for implementingterminal roam in NGN network in the case of no private network;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the method for implementingterminal roam in NGN network in the presence of private network; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the method for implementingterminal roam in NGN network in the presence of database group.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a method for implementing terminal roamand roam management in the soft switch architecture. In theimplementation of the method, comprising the following devices: adatabase (database group), a soft switch controlling device, a terminalaccessing allocator and various NGN terminals, as shown in FIG. 1. Thepresent invention mainly comprises the following steps.

Step 1, the user terminal moves in the IP network, and its IP addresschanges, the terminal needs to register at the controlling device again.

Step 2, the terminal is accessed to the soft switch controlling devicein an access manner of a specific strategy, and the specific strategy isrealized in the terminal accessing allocator, and the specific strategycan be determined according to the actual situations. For example, if inview of the utilization ratio of the network resources, the terminalneeds to access to the network at its proximity, which is conductedthrough that the terminal accessing allocator allocates an IP address ofthe soft switch controlling device to which the terminal can access atits proximity, and the terminal sends a register request to the softswitch controlling device; if in view of sharing the load of capacity,the manner of poll is employed, and the terminal accessing allocatorallocates alternately to the terminal the IP address of the soft switchcontrolling device.

Step 3, after receiving the register request of the terminal, the softswitch controlling device attains the user data of the terminal from adatabase (the database can be a database group when the data require alarge capacity), comprising the information such as user attribute, homeregistration information and roam right.

Step 4, the soft switch controlling device judges whether the terminalroams according to the IP address and the home registration informationof the terminal. If the terminal roams, the soft switch controllingdevice judges whether to allow the terminal to access according to theroam right of the terminal.

Step 5, if the terminal roams and has the roam right, the soft switchcontrolling device sends a register success response to the terminal,and the terminal accesses to the controlling device successfully.

Further, when the terminal roams and registers successfully, all thecalls have clear roam identifications in the charge list.

Further, in step 2, if the terminal accessing allocator is not employed,the terminal will directly sends a register request to the default softswitch controlling device (configured in the terminal).

Implementing the roam function requires the terminal to move first. Themoving of the terminal in the IP network will certainly render thechange of the IP address of the terminal. IP network is a plane network,and in theory, as long as the terminal accesses at any point, routingthe whole network can be implemented. In view of the utilization ratioof the network resources, the terminal needs to access to the softswitch controlling device at its proximity, that is, the terminal needsto access to the closest soft switch controlling device, and hence, aterminal accessing allocator is needed to allocate an IP address of theaccessed soft switch controlling device for the roaming terminal. In thepresence of a private network, the terminal accessing allocatorallocates an IP address of the traversing device for different formnetworks to the roaming terminal.

In addition, the function of managing the roaming terminal also needs tobe realized. As a core controlling device, the soft switch controllingdevice mainly implements functions of access authentification and callcontrol, and the database server stores data of the user such as userdata, service data and roam right data.

Therefore, FIG. 2 shows the circumstance that the terminal roams fromone place to another when the soft switch controlling device, thedatabase server, the terminal and the terminal access server are in anetwork planned by a same IP address.

In actual IP network, many users are in a private network (local areanetwork) established by themselves, and they communicate with the publicnetworks mutually through a NAT device or a firewall device, and antraversing device for different form networks needs to be added to solvethe roaming of such terminals, as shown in FIG. 3.

In case the number of the users is too large, only one database servercannot support them, and a database server group is needed to store thedata of all the users, which is shown in FIG. 4. Of course, when thenumber of the users is not too large, the functions of the databaseserver can also be realized directly in the soft switch device.

In order to explain the method for implementing the terminal roam morevisually, a control flow of a typical “terminal roaming and registering”is given. First, suppose the following basic conditions:

-   -   terminal A is a terminal or an access device supported by the        soft switch controlling device;    -   the user data of the terminal A is stored in the database        server;    -   the user of the terminal A has a roam right;    -   the terminal allocator employs the strategy of proximity        allocation; and    -   the terminal A roams from a first city to a second city 2.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention that theterminal A roams to the public network of the second city.

(1). Terminal A powers on, sends a request to a terminal accessingallocator 4, and requests an IP address of an accessible soft switchcontrolling device 2;

(2). according to the current IP address of the terminal A, the terminalaccessing allocator 4 allocates to the terminal A an IP address of thesoft switch controlling device 2 which is at the proximity of theterminal A;

(3). the terminal A sends a register request to the soft switchcontrolling device 2 according to the attained IP address;

(4). the soft switch controlling device 2 attains the user data of theterminal A from a database 3 to learn that the home of the terminal A isthe first city, and determines that the terminal A is in a roamingstate;

(5). the soft switch controlling device 2 learns that the terminal A hasthe roam right according to the user data of the terminal A, then allowsthe terminal A to access, and sends an access success response to theterminal A; and

(6). the terminal A can make calls after registering successfully, andthe soft switch controlling device 2 will provide roam identificationsin the charge list for the calls for the convenience of charge.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention that theterminal A roams to a private network of the second city.

In case the terminal A is in a private network and the soft switchcontrolling device 2 is in the public network, that is, they are not inthe same network, an traversing device for different form networks 5needs to be added to realize the mutual communication of the controlsignalling between the soft switch controlling device 2 and the terminalA. For the terminal A, the traversing device for different form networks5 is transparent and invisible, and the terminal A considers the IPaddress of the traversing device for different form networks 5 as the IPaddress of the soft switch controlling device 2.

(1). Terminal A powers on, sends a request to a terminal accessingallocator 4, and requests an IP address of an accessible soft switchcontrolling device 2;

(2). according to the current IP address of the terminal A, the terminalaccessing allocator 4 determines that the terminal is in a privatenetwork, and allocates to the terminal A an IP address of the traversingdevice for different form networks 5 which is at the proximity of theterminal A and connects the soft switch controlling device 2;

(3). according to the attained IP address, the terminal A sends aregister request to the soft switch controlling device 2 through thetraversing device for different form networks 5;

(4). the soft switch controlling device 2 attains the user data of theterminal A from the database 3 to learn that the home of the terminal Ais the first city, and determines that the terminal A is in a roamingstate;

(5). the soft switch controlling device 2 learns that the terminal A hasthe roaming right according to the user data of the terminal A, thenallows the terminal A to access, and sends an access success response tothe terminal A through the traversing device for different form networks5.

(6). the terminal A can make calls after registering successfully, andthe soft switch controlling device 2 will provide roam identificationsin the charge list for the calls for the convenience of charge.

The above processing flow also applies to the circumstance that theterminal is in the public network and the soft switch controlling deviceis in a private network. Hence, such a method can be applied to othercircumstances that the terminal and the soft switch controlling deviceare in different networks.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention that theterminal A roams to the public network of the second city and a databasegroup is employed to store the user data when the amount of the userdata is too large.

(1). Terminal A powers on, sends a request to the terminal accessingallocator 4, and requests an IP address of the accessible soft switchcontrolling device 2;

(2). according to the current IP address of the terminal A, the terminalaccessing allocator 4 allocates to the terminal A an IP address of thesoft switch controlling device 2 which is at the proximity of theterminal A;

(3). the terminal A sends a register request to the soft switchcontrolling device 2 according to the attained IP address;

(4). the soft switch controlling device 2 requests the user data of theterminal A from the database 2, the database 2 searches itself and findsno data of the terminal A, and then the database 2 attains the user dataof the terminal A from another database 3 (database group) in thedatabase group by the database interconnecting protocol, and respondsthe data to the soft switch controlling device 2;

(5). the soft switch controlling device 2 attains the user data of theterminal A to learns that the home of the terminal A is the first city,and determines that the terminal A is in a roaming state;

(6). the soft switch controlling device 2 learns that the terminal A hasthe roam right according to the user data of the terminal A, then allowsthe terminal A to access, and sends an access success response to theterminal A; and

(7). the terminal A can make calls after registering successfully, andthe soft switch controlling device 2 will provides roam identificationsin the charge list for the calls for the convenience of charge.

Whereas the operating principle of the present invention has beenparticularly described, and the specific methods of implementing theroaming of the terminal within the different application range have beendescribed, it will not be understood as limitations to the scope of theclaims of the present invention.

Industrial Applicability

According to the structure model of the NGN, the present inventionimplements the roam function of the terminal in the soft switch system,thereby providing the terminal roam function in the NGN network; andimplements the roam management for the terminal, including a roam rightmanagement function, a roam identification function and a roam chargefunction for the user.

After providing the functions of terminal roam and roam management, thesoft switch system can prevent the profits of the service provider fromlosing due to the random roam of the terminal in the NGN network,thereby realizing the commercialization of the roam function of thewhole soft switch system. And meanwhile, as a service, roam can improveturnover and quality of the service for the service provider.

1. A method for implementing terminal roam and roam management under asoft switch architecture, for implementing the roam and roam managementof a Next Generation Network (NGN) terminal, comprising the steps of:step 1, a user terminal moving in an Internet Protocol (IP) network, andwhen an IP address of the user terminal changes, the user terminalregistering at a soft switch controlling device; step 2, the userterminal attaining the IP address of the soft switch controlling device,and then sending a register request to the soft switch controllingdevice; step 3, after receiving the register request of the userterminal, the soft switch controlling device attaining user data of theuser terminal from a database, wherein the database is a database servergroup, the step of attaining user data of the user terminal from adatabase comprising one database server in the database server groupsearching for the user data, and if the database server finds no userdata of the user terminal, the database server attaining the user dataof the user terminal from another database server in the database servergroup by the database interconnecting protocol; step 4, the soft switchcontrolling device judging whether the user terminal is roaming, and ifit is roaming, the soft switch controlling device further determiningwhether to allow the user terminal to access; and step 5, if the userterminal is roaming and being allowed to access, the soft switchcontrolling device sending a register success response to the userterminal, and the user terminal accessing the soft switch controllingdevice successfully.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising theuser terminal sending a register request to a default soft switchcontrolling device according to the attained IP address of the softswitch controlling device or directly.
 3. The method of claim 1 whereinthe user data comprises one or more of user attribute information, homeregistration information and roam rights information.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, further comprising the soft switch controlling devicedetermining whether the user terminal roams according to the IP addressand the home registration information of the user terminal.
 5. Themethod of claim 3, further comprising the soft switch controlling devicedetermining whether to allow the user terminal to access according tothe roam rights of the user terminal.
 6. The method of claim 1 whereinafter the user terminal roams and registers successfully, roamidentifications are set on a charge list for all calls.
 7. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the database is provided in the soft switch controllingdevice.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein when the user terminal and thesoft switch controlling device are not in a same network, and atraversing device for different form networks is further provided toimplement the mutual communication of the control signaling between thesoft switch controlling device and the user terminal.
 9. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the NGN terminal comprises one or more of: a terminalsupporting SIP, a terminal supporting a H323 protocol; a terminalsupporting Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) protocol; a terminalsupporting a H248 protocol defined by International TelecommunicationsUnion, Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T), a terminalsupporting a Network-based Call Signalling (NCS) protocol; and anIntegrated Access Device (IAD).
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein instep 2, the step of attaining the IP address of the soft switchcontrolling device is realized in a terminal accessing allocator. 11.The method according to claim 10, wherein the terminal accessingallocator allocates to the user terminal an IP address of a soft switchcontrolling device to which the user terminal can access at itsproximity.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the terminal accessingallocator allocates to the user terminal an alternate IP address of thesoft switch controlling device.